All Episodes — FedEx Contractor Podcast

12

Episode

Diversification · Semi Trucks · Selling a CSA ~ 32 min

FedEx Was Just the Beginning: From P&D to Crude Oil Trucking

Tristan Booth — Former FedEx P&D Contractor & Crude Oil Hauler

Tristan Booth was running a FedEx P&D operation in Utah when he bought his first semi truck — then a second, a third, and a fourth. After selling the FedEx business, he leased those trucks into the crude oil industry, and says the profits are significantly higher than anything he saw as a contractor. He covers retention, working through bad equipment, the sale, load boards and factoring, and his advice for contractors thinking about putting a semi to work.

Watch on YouTube

11

Episode

Schedule K · Large Package · Driver Pay ~ 39 min

Schedule K: What FedEx Contractors Need to Know

Kevin Smithson — Golden Hawk Trucking

Schedule K is the hot topic for FedEx contractors right now. Kevin Smithson of Golden Hawk Trucking breaks down what Schedule K is, the 2026 renegotiation and why you might not sign, plus his large-package strategy, hiring and training, fleet acquisition and maintenance costs, the value of an on-site mechanic, and why highly paid drivers pay you back in other ways.

Watch on YouTube

10

Episode

Diversification · Growth · Hiring ~ 33 min

The Secret to Reducing FedEx Stress? Build Businesses Outside of FedEx

Todd Champion — FedEx Contractor & Multi-Industry Owner

Todd Champion bought his first FedEx business 11 years ago and grew from 2 routes to 60 — then built a portfolio across completely different industries: a Budget dealership, a relay station, an oil change shop, a towing company, and a restaurant USA Today named one of the best hot dog spots in America. His case: owning businesses outside FedEx makes running the FedEx operation less stressful.

Watch on YouTube

09

Episode

Exit Planning · Business Value · Strategy ~ 39 min

Why Every FedEx Contractor Needs an Exit Plan (Even If You're Not Selling)

Ken Tedford — 25-Year FedEx Contractor, Michigan

Most FedEx contractors never think about their exit plan — until they need one, and by then it’s too late. Ken Tedford spent more than 25 years as a FedEx contractor in Michigan and has sold four FedEx companies. He explains why planning your exit from day one makes you a better operator today, whether you’re in year one, year twenty, or never plan to sell.

Watch on YouTube

08

Episode

FedEx 2.0 · Fleet Strategy · Retention ~ 35 min

Inside a FedEx Corporate 2.0 Meeting

Greg Schwendeman — FedEx Contractor

Greg Schwendeman sat down with FedEx corporate in Pittsburgh and shares his biggest takeaways on where 2.0 goes next. A military and defense-contractor veteran who entered FedEx in 2018 and grew his CSA 48% before the restructuring, Greg covers leasing vs. buying trucks, the advantages of your own mechanic, and the culture behind his driver retention — including why most of his new hires come from employee referrals.

Watch on YouTube

07

Episode

FedEx 2.0 · Linehaul · Custom Critical ~ 35 min

When Efficiency Fails: How FedEx 2.0 Forced a Restart

Taylor Maness — Owner, Linehaul Summit & Linehaul News

Taylor Maness, owner of Linehaul Summit and Linehaul News, breaks down the early efficiency hits of his 2.0 rollout, how empowering his managers created explosive operational growth, and what 2.0 and the FedEx Freight spinoff could mean for linehaul contractors. Plus his Custom Critical operation and why community events like the Linehaul Summit matter for long-term success.

Watch on YouTube

06

Episode

Amazon DSP · FedEx CSP · Cost Comparison ~ 60 min

FedEx vs. Amazon: Which Business Is Actually Better?

Don Carthorn — Amazon DSP & FedEx CSP Owner

40-year logistics veteran Don Carthorn has done what most contractors only dream about — he runs both an Amazon DSP and a FedEx CSP simultaneously. In this episode, Don pulls back the curtain on the real cost differences, equity-building opportunities, and why a people-first approach is the only way to survive in last-mile delivery.

Watch on YouTube

05

Episode

Multi-Business · Fleet Maintenance · Mindset ~ 60 min

Your 9-to-5 Is Just the Starting Line

Kelsey Turner — FedEx Contractor & Multi-Business Owner

Kelsey Turner didn't have a business degree, a trust fund, or a roadmap. She had a FedEx route — and an obsession with figuring out how the game was really played. Before 35, she built multiple businesses, including a fleet maintenance company that could save her $50K–$60K a year from a single $10K decision. This isn't a feel-good story. It's a blueprint.

Watch on YouTube

04

Episode

Scaling · FedEx 2.0 · Driver Retention · AI Routing ~ 60 min

From Blood Bank to 22 Trucks

Jessica Easler — FedEx Contractor

Jessica Easler was drawing blood at a trauma center. Now she's running 22 trucks and has nearly tripled her operation in under four years. In this episode, she holds nothing back — from the gut-check moment she quit her W2 job, to surviving a chaotic peak season while simultaneously preparing for 2.0, to keeping her drivers happy with pizza deliveries and personal check-ins when everything was changing at once. She also breaks down how AI route optimization is cutting entire routes from her daily schedule.

Watch on YouTube

03

Episode

Scaling · Retention · Data · Profit ~ 60 min

$7,500 to 8 Figures. Here's Exactly How He Did It.

Kamran Taqui — FedEx Contractor · ~100 Trucks

Kamran Taqui didn't inherit a logistics empire — he built one, starting with a house hack, a lot of hustle, and a willingness to let the data tell him uncomfortable truths. Today he runs nearly 100 trucks across multiple FedEx CSAs, manages 90 employees almost entirely by himself, and has developed a system for squeezing profit out of every route, every driver, and every dollar. In this episode, he breaks all of it down.

Watch on YouTube

02

Episode

FedEx 2.0 · CSA · Transition Strategy ~ 60 min

Surviving FedEx 2.0 — Twice

Charlie York — FedEx Ground Contractor

Charlie York knows what it's like to get blindsided by FedEx's 2.0 transition. As an experienced contractor, he thought he was ready — until his first CSA proved otherwise. In this episode, Charlie breaks down exactly what went wrong the first time around and shares the hard-won lessons he's applying as his second CSA gears up for 2.0. If you're a route owner bracing for the transition, this one's required listening.

Watch on YouTube

01

Episode

DRO · Fleet · Valuation · Pay Structure ~ 60 min

FedEx Route Values, 2.0 DRO Tricks & EVs

Steve Ramsthel — FedEx Contractor & Consultant, MRCapital.com

In the debut episode of RoutCast, host sits down with 11-year FedEx contractor and route broker Steve Ramsthel. Steve breaks down what routes are actually worth in today's market, shares insider tips for navigating the 2.0 DRO process, and weighs in on what the electric vehicle push means for contractors on the ground. Whether you're buying, selling, or just trying to stay ahead — Steve's seen it all.

Watch on YouTube